Dallas Cowboys Blog

Cowboys QB Tony Romo says offensive line is making progress

ARLINGTON — Less than two weeks ago, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo operated behind a row of blockers that resembled a sieve. It seemed that every time he dropped back in the preseason opener against Oakland he was faced with intense pressure.

Flash forward to Saturday and Romo looked considerably more comfortable in the pocket. In the Cowboys’ 20-19 victory over St. Louis, he completed 9 of 13 pass attempts for 198 yards and two touchdowns. In the few instances he was placed under duress he avoided oncoming tacklers. And as a result, he wasn’t sacked for the second consecutive game.

Consider that progress for both him and the offensive line, Romo said.

“We’ve been building,” Romo explained. “Camp’s a long time and these guys have worked their butt off. I’m proud of the guys up front. They’ve continued to get better and better. It’s exciting to see.”

It’s certainly encouraging for the Cowboys. With left guard Nate Livings making his preseason debut Saturday, the only starting lineman missing from the lineup was center Phil Costa. But Costa, who has a back injury, is expected to return by the Sept. 5 season opener against the New York Giants. And owner Jerry Jones even said he expects him to play Wednesday in the team’s final exhibition game against Miami.

That’s an encouraging development for a unit that is still trying to build cohesion within its ranks.